“There are thousands of helpless people around you with no one to give them love. Help them. Serve them, not with a feeling of superiority but with utter humility. Treat them as the very incarnation of God. Don’t complain that you are not able to meditate on God whom you do not see, but concentrate on this God who is right in front of you in the form of these helpless creatures. The contentment (THRUPTI) that you derive from this service is indeed real salvation (MUKTI). There is no miracle greater than love. “These are the ennobling words of JILLELLAMUDI AMMA.
She was born on the holy Ekadasi immediately following Sri Ramanavami in 1923, on the 28th March. This year (2003) Amma’s birthday falls on the 13 April. Her parents christened her as ANASUYA, but as time rolled by, she came to be known as JILLELLAMUDI AMMA. The place of her birth is Mannava in Guntur district. After marriage she shifted to Jillellamudi, another village in the same district. From here, her reputation spread far and wide as a born JNANI, a lover MOTHER OF ALL, with the result that thousands used to visit hier seeking solace both temporal and spiritual.
Mother had two sons and a daughter. But her love was not limited to this small circle only. Richard Schiffman of America, a biographer of Amma, says: “Mother at Jillellamudi feels that all are her children, all men, all animals, all objects and, in the vast multiplicity of life, she sees only her own children appearing endlessly in myriads of names and forms.
Marwa L.Hemphill of America after visiting Mother in 1968 wrote that though Amma did not shun the world and wear ochre robes, she is infinite, eternal and the basis of all existence.
E.Bhardwaja, a well-known devotee of Shirdi Sai Maharaj, spent a pretty good period in Jillellamudi. He wonders if one could come across a greater “sanyasi” than Mother, who desired nothing, who complained against nothing and who accepted all the trials and tribulations in life with bewildering equanimity.
Dr. Sripada Gopalakrisha Murty, a scientist and an erudite scholar in the Vedic Lore said: “Mother speaks at all times seated on the highest peak of Self Realization. She is the full Moon in Jillellamudi. At any other place you will see only a partial moon.
A former Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, Dr. P.V. Rajamannar Sang a verse which he presented to Mother in madras: “Visited I have many holy places. Saw has several saints and sages. But I found none equal to you. Let the stream of your mercy flow unto me”.
Another advanced soul Gordon Westerlund of America, even before he had seen Mother, said: “I consider Amma to be my Guru, teacher, guide, Lord, protector, helper, counselor and above all my Mother. Her arms are long enough to reach me here.” An engineer from Holland by name F.F. Nieland who flew right into Jillellamudi in 1970 said: “In these days when real love has become a virtual scarcity, there must be at least someone to bestow that real love so that the world may continue to exist. this is the cause for the advent of Amma.”
A young man by name Dawney from Israel asked Mother: “What is the difference between you and Chirst? “Amma said: “None”. He further asked “Christ used to say that there is a Father above him. Is there any one superior to you?” Mother replied: “There is none superior to me. There is none inferior too. I am as well the lowest and the last.” It was my good fortune to have been present on this occasion.
James Campion, a law student in England, who roamed about India in quest of Truth (like Paul Brunton and Ramana Bhagawan’s history) saw Mother in 1975 and at the very first sight felt that Mother is the living embodiment of Divine Energy and a true sage. He considered Jillella mudi his Journey’s end. He did not look back. Mother did not encourage miracles and display of siddhis. She dismissed them saying that they generate only momentary faith. Ramana Bhagawan too said that Siddhis await the Jnani’s command with folded arms to serve him but the Jnani does not oblige them.
Mother called her residence the HOME OF ALL meaning that anyone could stay with her for any length of time with free boarding and lodging facilities. She called the kitchen, the temple of ANNA PURNA (Annapurna layam) which is open all through the day. It was indeed an unprecedented miracle in the history of mankind that more
then two lakh people were served a feast at one and the same time on her 50th birthday. Another adjunct is the ABODE OF COMPASSION (Vatsalya ayam) where Amma gave darshan. Amma also founded THE LOVING HOME FOR THE AGED (Saranalayam) for old people to live and live in peace when they are likely to be neglected by kith and kin. When a band of Naxalities raided the HOME OF ALL in 1975. with the hope of looting lots of money (how else can Mother feed so many?) she endearingly referred to them as her own misguided children. As Mother did not observe caste or creed, some on pointedly asked: “To which caste do you belong?” Mother replied: “To the caste of sperm and ovum.” Mother taught utter selflessness, service and love by personal example. Rituals did not find much favor with her but when GAYATRIYAGAM was conducted in Jillellamudi by some enthusiasts, when some women, foreigners and the so called ineligible caste people were also invested with the sacred thread and given the Mantra. She thus literally broke an age – old tradition.
When people asked her why she chose to marry at all (in her 13th year) she replied that it was only to show that marriage is not bondage or “a tiger to be afraid of.” She finally departed on the 12th June 1985 leaving her glowing foot-prints on the sands of Time. It is for us to follow them and make our lives sublime. Otherwise, we may just leave this world as ignorantly as we entered with no trace of wisdom as the immortal Kabir cautioned. The choice is ours.
(Courtesy-The Hindu, 11.4.03)